Mounting for electrical apparatus



June 11, 1935. JONES 2,004,610

MOUNTING FOR ELECTRICAL APPARATUS Filed Aug. 14, 1931 INVENTOR 2 ll. JONES a) ATTORNEY Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Telephone Laboratories,

Incorporated, New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 14, 1931, Serial No. 556,953

12 Claims.

This invention relates to mountings for electrical apparatus and more particularly to cushion type sockets for electron discharge devices.

The electrical characteristics of electron discharge devices are largely dependent upon the space relation of the several electrodes of the devices. Any changes in this relation, particularly such changes as are occasioned by mechanical and acoustic shocks to which the device may able microphonic disturbances in the output of the device which result in unfaithful and distorted translation of the input signal. Shocks of great magnitude often damage the electrode structures in electron discharge devices and in particular cause rupture of the fragile filament wires in such devices embodying filamentary cathodes.

An object of this invention is to eliminate microphonlc disturbances in the output of an electron discharge device and to translate signal voltages applied to such a device faithfully and without distortion.

Another object of this invention is to protect sensitive electrical-apparatus against deleterious shock.

A further object of this invention is to simplify the assembly and to expedite the manufacture of cushion type sockets for electrical apparatus.

The features of this invention are exemplified in one embodiment in a cushion type socket for electron discharge devices, comprising a stationary support, a movable socket member within the support and adapted to receive the terminal prongs on an electron discharge device or other apparatus, and a plurality of conducting members resiliently supporting the movable socket within the support. .Each of the conducting members comprises a contact or socket portion for gripping the terminal prong of an electron discharge device or similar apparatus, a slotted terminal portion secured to the support and extending outwardly therefrom, and an intermediate portion including spaced arms and a resilient loop portion. One of the spaced'arms is pro. vided with a slot and the other of the arms is provided with a tongue projecting into the slot for limiting the excursions of the movable socket member with respect to the support. The vibration of the movable socket member may be damped by suitable means as for example a coating of absorbent material upon the resilient loop of the intermediate portion of the conducting members.

The invention will be understood more fully be subjected during operation, produce objection movable socket ll, likewise of an insulating mafrom the following detaileddescription with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a mounting for electrical devices constructed in accordance with this invention with portions broken away, and partly 5 in section to show the form and positioning of a conducting member;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a mounting in accordance with this invention with portions broken away, and partially in cross-section to show details of assembly more clearly;

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of a unitary contact and terminal member in accordance with 15 a feature of this invention; and

Fig. 5 illustrates a metallic stamping from which the unitary contact and terminal member shown in Fig. 4 is formed.

Referring now to the drawing, a mounting such as a cushion socket for electron discharge devices, in accordance with this invention comprises a cup-shaped stationary support III of insulating material such as laminated phenol fibre, and a terial, such as a phenol condensation product, centrally positioned and resiliently supported within the cup-shaped support III by a plurality of electrically conductive members or stampings l2. The number 12 is used to designate the con- 30 ductive member, shown in the drawing, for example, Figs. 4 and 5, as a whole.

The movable socket ll comprises a cylindrical body portion l3 provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced recesses ll communicating each 35 with a corresponding radially extending slot I! in the circular wall of the body portion l3, and with the usual apertures l8 for receiving the terminal prongs of an electron discharge device or similar apparatus. A circular insulating plate I1 is secured to the body portion I; in any suitable manner, as by an eyelet I 8, to close the open end of each of the recesses I4 and to provide a rigid substantially closed unitary element.

Each of the conductive stampings l2, which are preferably of phosphor bronze, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, comprises a contact portion IQ for gripping a terminal prong of an electron discharge device or the like, an outwardly extending terminal portion 20 provided with a slot 2| for 5 expediting the attachment of a conductor or the like to the treminal portion 20, and an intermediate portion 22 integral with the contact and terminal portions I9 and 20, respectively.

The intermediate portion 22 includes two parallel arm portions 23, 24 and a resilient loop portion 25. Each contact portion I9 consists of two similar parallel sections, each provided at one edge with a curved lipor outwardly-bulged portion 26 for guiding a terminal prong and with a tab 21 for insuring positive gripping of the terminal prong. Each of the parallel sections defining the contact portion I8 is formed with an integral extension or tongue 28 which projects through a slot or an aperture 29 in the arm 24. v

In the assembly of the mounting each of the terminal portions 20 is positioned on a seat 30 on the rim of the cup-shaped support l and is clamped in place by pairs of bent tabs or downwardly extending projections 3|, 32 which grasp opposite walls of the support in channels 33 adjacent the seats 30. The contact portions iii are positioned one within each of the recesses H in axial alignment with a corresponding one of the :a'iapertures IS with the curved lips 26 contiguous with the periphery of the corresponding aperture it. The contact portions l9 abut against the faces of the recesses in the body portion 13 and against the inner faceof the plate IT. The end portions 34 of each of the parallel sections form-. ing the contact portion I9 of each conductive stamping l2 frictionally engage the walls of their respective slots i and securely lock the contact portion IS in position. One of the tongues or extensions 28 is bent toward the other tongue or extension asshown at 35 in Fig. 1 to definitely space the end portions 34 of each oi the parallel sections forming the contact portion IQ of each stamping l2. Excessive lateral displacement of the contact portions I9 is further prevented by the walls of its corresponding recess ll.

A cover plate 35, preferably of insulating material, such as a phenol condensation product, is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 31 to allow iree passage of the movable socket II and is secured to the support ID, as by hollow eyelets 38, to clamp the terminal portions of the conductive stampings I2 in the seats 30. The eyelets 38 are adapted to allow passage of screws or the like for securing the support Hi to a panel or other mounting member.

The loop portions of the stampings I2 are universally flexible to allow substantially free vibration of the movable socket portion II and thereby effectively protect a device, such as an electron discharge device, against acoustic and mechanical shocks. The cooperative tongue 28 and slot 29 arrangement prevents excessive lateral, longitudinal or rotative displacement of the movable socket H and also prevents deletcrious distortion of the resilient loops 25.

Because of the resiliency of the loop portions 95. themovable socket ll may oscillate for an appreciable length of time if it is set in vibration. ilnis oscillatory movement may deleteriously affect the operation of a device, such as an electron discharge device, and impair the efliciency thereof. In accordancewith a feature of this invention this dei'ect is circumvented by damping the vibration of the movable socket ll. This may be accomplished-in one way by coating a section of the resilient loop portions 25 of the stampings 2 with a vibration damping material. or absorbing medium, such as an asphalt emulsion, rubber solution or the like.

Although in the specific embodiment of the invention described hereinabove and shown in detail in the accompanying drawing, the movable socket H is-adapted to accommodate a device having four terminal prongs, it may readily be adapted to receive a greater or lesser number of terminal prongs. Other modifications may, of course, be made in the structure shown without departing from the scope and spirit of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: p 1. A mounting for electrical apparatus comprising a stationary member, a movable socket member, and means for resiliently supporting said socket member from said stationary member, said means having portions cooperating mechanically to finally limit displacement of said socket member in several directions.

2. A cushion type. mounting for electrical apparatus comprising a recessed base, a movable socket'positioned within said base and adapted to support said apparatus, and members resiliently supporting said socket within said base, said members having interfitting portions adapted to abut to limit axial movement of said socket.

3. A cushion type mounting for electrical apparatus comprising a recessed base, a socket member disposed within said base, and a plurality of flexible members supporting said socket member within said base, said members including juxtaposed relatively displaceable portions, one of said portions having a slot, and the other of said portions .having a longitudinally and laterally rigid-tongue projecting into said slot for limiting relative'displacement 01 said portions.

4. A mounting for electrical apparatus comprising a stationary base, a socket member'ineluding a body having spaced recesses therein and apertures communicating with said recesses and adapted to receive terminal prongs on said apparatus, and a plurality of conductive members for mounting said socket member from said therein, apertures in one wall communicating.

with said recesses and adapted to receive terminal prongs on said apparatus, and slots extending radially outwardly from said recesses, and a plurality of conductive members supporting said socket member within said base, each of said conductive members comprising a terminal portion secured to said base, a contact portion, and

an intermediate resilient portion including an arm provided with an aperture, said contact portion comprising substantially parallel plate sections positioned within one of said recesses and cooperatively yieldable to securely grasp a terminal prongon said apparatus, a shoulder frictionally engaginga wall of said one recess, and a tongue extending from one of said plate sections and projecting into the aperture in said arm.

6. In a mounting for electrical apparatus, a unitary electrically conductive member comprising a terminal portion, a contact portion for engaging a terminalprong of said apparatus, said contact portion being freely displaceable with respect to said terminal portion and a portion connecting said terminal and said contact portions,

-lydisposed/ two of said portions having interflttins means for iinaliy limiting the displacement of said contact portion in at least two na e "I. In a mountingfor electri apparatus, a unitary terminal and contact member comprising a terminal portion, a contact portion adapted to engage a terminal prong {oi said apparatus, and an intermediate portion including spaced substantially parallel arms 'and a resilient loop 9. A mounting for electrical apparatus comprising a stationary support, a movable socket member, means ior resilimtly moimting said socket member from said support, and a coating 0! a vibration damping substance on said means. 10. A mounting tor-electrical apparatus canprising a stationary base. a movable socket member and metallic members resiliently mounting said socket member from said base, and a coat-- ing of an asphalt emulsion on said metallic members.

'11. A mounting for electrical apparatus comprising a base, a cylindrical socket member, a plurality oi conductive members resiliently mounting said socket member within said base, each 0! said conductive members including a terminal portion secured to said base, a contact portion mounted on said socket member, and an intermediate resilient portion, and a coating 0! vibration damping material on said intermediate resilient portion.

12. A vacuum tube socket comprising a base member, a socket member and metallic members, one for each terminal, said metallic members serving as the support for the socket member and being provided with means for limiting the vertical as well as the horizontal movement ot the socket member when a tube, is inserted in or withdrawn from said socket member.

IDWARD H. JONIS. 

